The Indonesian government has confirmed there were threats by a terrorist group to cause chaos during the Christmas and New Year celebrations in the country.

Local television broadcasts today quoted cabinet secretary Pramono Anung as saying the Istana had been informed by the police over the seizure of documentary evidence of a plan by a terrorist group to create unrest.

The police however, managed to foil the activities of the terrorist group involved and pre-empted its plan to cause chaos, following the arrest of several suspects in some provinces to facilitate investigations.

Pramono said President Joko Widodo had ordered the police to prevent such unrest and tighten security surveillance.

He said the Indonesian president had pledged to eradicate terrorist groups using the approach of education, religion and culture.

Local dailies today quoted Indonesian police chief Badrodin Haiti as saying the police had crippled a group believed to be attempting to create chaos in several provinces in the country, in conjunction with the year-end festive celebrations.

Pramono said the special terrorist preventive squads identified as Densus 88 had detained several individuals in Tasikmalaya, Banjar, Cilacap, Mojokerto, and Sukoharjo over the past week.

He said even though the arrests were made at several separate locations, they were believed to be linked with one another under the group of Abu Jundi alias Abdul Karim who was nabbed in Sukoharjo in central Java last Saturday.

- Bernama